Walton Football

Walton, Kell bounced out of state football playoffs

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The football season for the last two East Cobb schools remaining ended in crashing fashion Friday in the second round of the Georgia High School Association playoffs.Walton all-sports champion

In Class 7A, Walton had a tough order playing at North Gwinnett, a state champion two years ago, and that throttled the Raiders 35-0 earlier this season.

North Gwinnett nearly doubled that score in a 60-10 rout that equalled the worst loss in Walton football history.

The Raiders fell behind early and never had a chance to get back in the game. They trailed 46-3 at halftime and scored their only touchdown in the second half, well after the outcome had been decided.

Walton’s season ends with a 6-6 record.

In Class 5A, Kell also had to go on the road at Starr’s Mill, and hung tough after a scoreless first quarter.

Kell Touchdown Club, Corky Kell ClassicBut the Fayette County school turned the pressure on in the second quarter to lead 24-7. Going into the fourth quarter, the Longhorns trailed 24-21 but Starr’s Mill scored three unanswered touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including on a fake punt play, to win 45-28.

Kell was 9-3 on the season.

It was announced this week that Walton and Kell will once again start the 2020 season by participating in the Corky Kell Classic next August.

In fact, the Raiders and Longhorns will be playing one another on Saturday, Aug. 22, at 9 a.m. at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta.

In recent years they’ve been the only two East Cobb schools invited to play in the start-of-season event, named after the late Wheeler football coach.

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Walton and Kell advance to second round of football playoffs

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After losing some heartbreakingly close games this season—including to Newnan at Raider Valley—the Walton football team was involved in another nailbiter in a rematch Friday night in the first round of the Georgia state playoffs.Walton High School logo, East Cobb high school football

The Raiders took an early 10-0 lead, but Newnan kept hanging around until the final minutes, scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter. This time, however, Walton didn’t squander the lead, and came away with a 27-24 victory to move on to the second round.

Walton is only 6-5 on the season, but four of those losses have come by a combined 15 points.

What’s facing the Raiders next? The other team that beat them this season, and it was a blowout. Walton travels to North Gwinnett next Friday in another rematch in Class 7A.

North Gwinnett, which defeated Walton 35-0 in September, is coming off a 51-14 win over Shiloh on Friday.

The Gladiators, whom Walton beat two years ago en route to a state championship, are 10-1 and ranked No. 4 in Class 7A. They haven’t lost since the opening game of the season, to second-ranked Colquitt County (which ended Walton’s season last year).

The Kell Longhorns jumped to an early lead and never gave it up, defeating Columbis 48-32 in a Class 5A game Friday at Avondale Stadium in DeKalb County.

The Longhorns are 9-2, and will head to Fayetteville on Friday when they play at Starr’s Mill (8-3), which downed Harris County 28-7.

A blocked extra point made the difference between winning and losing for Sprayberry, which reached the playoffs for the first time since 2011.

The Yellow Jackets had a chance to tie the game after scoring a fourth quarter touchdown at Lanier, but the point-after try was blocked, and they fell 15-14 in a Class 6A playoff game in Gwinnett County.

Sprayberry finishes the season at 6-5 and will return running back Demarion Owens, who rushed for more than 1,500 yards as a junior.

Wheeler also was back in the playoffs after a four-year absence, and faced the daunting prospect of playing at Roswell. The game was close in the first half, but after halftime the Hornets rolled to a 31-0 win in Class 7A.

The Wildcats were 5-6 under first-year head coach Bryan Love, and will move next year to Class 6A and compete in the same region with Lassiter, Sprayberry, Pope and Kell.

 

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4 East Cobb teams reach high school football playoffs

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When the Georgia High School Association football playoffs start on Friday, four East Cobb teams will be participating.

Sprayberry football, East Cobb football

(You can view the playoff brackets here.)

Three of them have been familiar faces in the post-season in recent years, while the other will be returning to the playoffs for the first time in a long while.

Sprayberry pounded River Ridge 40-7 Friday to close out the regular season at 6-4, and earn the No. 3 seed in Region 6 of Class 6A.

It’s the first playoff bid since 2011 for the Yellow Jackets, whose third-year head coach, Brett Vavra, is a former Sprayberry player and graduate.

Sprayberry must travel in the playoffs, visiting Lanier of Gwinnett County. The Bulldogs are 9-1 on the season and are ranked 8th in Class 6A. The Yellow Jackets’ star player, running back Damarion Owens, ran for more than 300 yards Friday, and is the leading rusher in Cobb County with more than 1,500 yards.

Comeback for the Wildcats

Wheeler’s last season in Class 7A will come with a playoff appearance. The Wildcats came from behind late on Friday to defeat Pebblebrook 21-14, getting the winning touchdown with one second remaining on the game clock.

Wheeler (5-5) earned the fourth and final playoff spot from Region 2 of Class 7A, its first post-season berth in four years. On Friday, Wheeler, under first-year coach Bryan Love, will play at Roswell.

Earlier this week the GHSA announced that Wheeler and Lassiter would be dropping to Class 6A next season, based on enrollment projections.

A Longhorn stampede

Kell had already nailed down the No. 3 seed from Region 7 of Class 5A before Friday’s regular season finale at winless Woodland, but didn’t let up in a 51-7 win to improve to 8-2.

The Longhorns’ high-powered offense led by quarterback Corbin LaFrance was clicking from the outset. Two early-season losses to Rome and Carrollton, however, have prevented them from starting their playoff run at home.

Kell, ranked No. 11 in Class 5A, travels to DeKalb County on Friday to play Columbia, which is 5-5.

A familiar foe for the Raiders

Walton was hoping to close out the regular season as champion of Region 4 of Class 7A. For most of Friday’s game at Raider Valley against Woodstock, the game was close.

But the teams were tied at 22-22, forcing overtime. Walton scored first to lead 29-22, then Woodstock tied the game with a touchdown. Then the Wolverines, who had only two wins on the seasons, went for a two-point conversion and got it to win 30-29.

It was the third heartbreaking loss of the season for the Raiders, who are 5-5 but get to play at home in the playoffs. They will be playing host on Friday to Newnan, 6-4, which defeated Walton earlier in the season in one of those close games, by a 10-7 score.

The loss also prevented an all-East Cobb contest in the playoffs, since Walton, and not Roswell, would be facing Wheeler.

 

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Corky Kell Classic: Kell freshman shines; Walton rallies

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The Kell offense was bound to have a different look after star quarterback Evan Conley graduated. At the Corky Kell Classic Saturday morning, it was a freshman running back who gave the Longhorns’ attack a big boost, and perhaps a new identity.Kell Touchdown Club, Corky Kell Classic

David Mbadinga caught a screen pass and ran it 33 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, and he rushed 17 times for 104 yards for the game, as Kell downed Mays 17-12 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Mbadinga helped ease the transition for new Kell quarterback Corbin Lafrance. A junior, Lafrance succeeds Evan Conley, who is now playing at the University of Louisville.

Kell’s offense sputtered early on, although the Longhorns took a 7-0 lead into the second half. Mays scored a touchdown in the third quarter, but missed the extra point to trail 7-6.

That’s when Mbadinga took over. After his touchdown reception from Lafrance, Mbadinga peeled off a 16-yard gain for a first down to reach the Mays 4-yard-line. Kell kicked a field goal to push the lead to 17-6.

On the next series, Kell defender Keith Williams intercepted a pass.

With 1:28 to play in the game, Mays scored a touchdown to close to 17-12 but could not convert a two-point play.

Kell is 8-2 all-time in the Corky Kell Classic, which like the school is named in honor of the late Wheeler coach.

“Our kids played with great passion and emotion, they really played hard,” said Kell coach Brett Sloan, who is 2-1 in Corky Kell games as he begins his third season.

As for Mbadinga, Sloan smiled and said, “We’ve been excited about him for a while. We’re glad he’s on our team.”

The Longhorns are off next week, then play at Lassiter Sept. 6.

Walton ‘found a way’

Walton played Norcross Saturday afternoon in the Corky Kell Classic, and trailed 20-7 before staging a big comeback in the fourth quarter.

Walton all-sports championQuarterback Zak Rozsman threw a pass to Julian Bumper, who ran down the sideline for an 82-yard touchdown with 7:03 remaining.

Walton’s defense responded on the next drive for Norcross as Jonathan Chesser and Titus McBride teamed up for a quarterback sack on third down.

The Raiders started their next possession on the Norcross 21 after a personal foul on the fair catch of a Blue Devils punt.

That’s when running back KD Stokes took over for Walton, picking up 14 yards to set up first-and-goal on the two, then scoring the touchdown on the next play.

A Conor Cummins extra-point gave Walton a 21-20 lead with 3:10 to play, but Norcross had a chance to win with 16 seconds left.

After a long drive, Norcross placekicker Kellen Grave de Peralta, who made two field goals in the second half, attempted a 44-yarder. But after a shaky hold, his kick came out on a line drive and was no good, and Walton players celebrated their 21-20 win.

“We found out what kind of team we are today,” said Walton coach Daniel Brunner. “They fought, fought, fought. They’re a resilient bunch.”

He said the Raiders emphasize a set of “core values” and that one of them embodied their victory Saturday.

“Find a way,” he said. “They found a way today.”

Walton is off next week and plays host to Pope on Sept. 6.

Friday night highlights

Three East Cobb teams opened their seasons on Friday night.

J.D. Thomas scored four touchdowns, including a 93-yard kickoff return on the opening play of the game, as Wheeler won its first game under new coach Bryan Love by a 42-19 score over Lambert.

Next week the Wildcats will visit East Cobb rival Sprayberry, which lost its season opener on the road, 34-20, at South Forsyth.

Lassiter also was on the road to open the season and things got out of hand early for the Trojans in a 47-3 loss at Harrison. The only points of the game for Lassiter, which was playing for a new coach, Sean Thom, came on a field goal late in the fourth quarter.

The Trojans will stay on the road next Friday in another all-East Cobb game when they meet Pope in the season opener for the Greyhounds.

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Kell and Walton football teams roll in playoffs; Pope eliminated

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After piling up big wins at home to start the Georgia High School Association playoffs, the Kell and Walton football teams now have the challenge of replicating that success on the road.Kell and Walton football teams

The Kell Longhorns might be one of the hottest teams in the state after romping 48-8 over Carver of Atlanta on Friday in the Class 5A playoffs. Ebony Jackson scored four touchdowns for Kell (9-2), which has won seven games in a row after starting the season 2-2.

Kell’s high-powered offense, which also includes quarterback Evan Conley, has averaged 37.8 points a game during the season. Next Friday, the Longhorns will play at Buford, which defeated Miller Grove 35-14.

The Wolves are on a similar roll, having won six games in a row, and are averaging 43 points a game during the season.

In Class 7A, Walton also played host to a first-round game on Friday, and had little trouble with a south Georgia opponent. The Raiders (10-1) defeated Camden County 40-20, as quarterback Austin Kirskey threw three touchdown passes, two of them to Kendall Alford.

On Friday, Walton will travel cross-county to play fellow Cobb school Hillgrove. The Hawks are undefeated at 11-0 after defeating Pebblebrook 21-7.

The football season came to an end Friday for Pope, which had a daunting task in its first-round Class 6A playoff game at Creekview. The Cherokee County team was 10-0 and ranked No. 2 in the state going in, and cruised 38-14.

The Grizzlies jumped out to a quick early lead, and Pope (5-6) didn’t get on the scoreboard until later in the game. But in two seasons under former Pope player Tab Griffin, the Greyhounds have reached the playoffs have some lean years.

They also fought back to get to the post-season after starting out 0-4.

 

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Wheeler football falls short in playoff bid; Walton, Kell solidify seeds

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Wheeler football

After starting the season 5-0, the Wheeler football team sputtered out of any chance to reach the playoffs in what turned out to be the Wildcats’ final game of 2018.

Wheeler was clipped at home by Pebblebrook by a 38-35 score, as the Falcons claimed the final playoff berth from Region 2 of Class 7A. Although the Wildcats finished with a winning record overall at 6-4, their 1-4 region record was fifth in the region. Pebblebrook is 4-6 but 2-3 in the region.

The Wildcats led 21-7 at one point on Friday, and then almost clawed their way back after trailing 35-21.

Wheeler had a high-powered offense, led by quarterback C.J. Ogbonna, but it was the defense that faltered down the stretch of the season. Last week, the Wildcats were torched by Westlake 76-35, setting up a win-or-go-home finale against Pebblebrook.

The Walton Raiders nailed down the No. 2 seed in Region 4 of Class 7A with a 30-7 win at Woodstock. The Raiders, who scored 21 points in the third quarter, are 9-1 and 4-1 and will have a home playoff game next week. Walton has defeated seven teams who also are going to the playoffs.

The hottest of the East Cobb teams to finish the regular season is Kell, which rolled to its sixth consecutive win Friday by a convincing 41-18 score against Woodland. The Longhorns are 8-2 and 6-2 in Region 7 of Class 5A, and also will be playing at home to start the playoffs.

Sprayberry ended a long season on a high note, defeating River Ridge easily, by a 44-6 score. The Yellow Jackets finished 3-7 overall, and 3-6 in Region 6 of Class 6A.

Lassiter’s long season didn’t fare as well, however. The Trojans were looking for their first win in Region 4 of Class 7A, and had a good chance after taking the lead in overtime on Friday. However, playoff-bound Cherokee prevailed 26-23, as Lassiter turned in a 1-9 season, and 0-5 in region games.

The only win of the season for Lassiter came early, against Pope, by a 30-24 score. The Greyhounds ended their regular season last week at 5-5 and 5-3 in Region 7 of Class 6A. That was good enough to nail down the final playoff spot from that region.

The Georgia High School Association will announce first-round playoff pairings later this weekend.

 

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East Cobb Football Update: Walton upset by Roswell; Kell, Pope, Wheeler stay in playoff hunt

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Daniel Brunner, Walton football
Walton coach Daniel Brunner’s first regular-season loss came at the hands of Roswell, his alma mater. (ECN file photo)

Friday was a dramatic night for East Cobb football teams, with four of them still involved in playoff drives. But a Walton upset at the hands of Roswell has implications for region play as well as the state rankings.

The No. 2 Raiders fell 32-31, the first regular-season loss for coach Daniel Brunner. Khaleed Mobley of Roswell blocked a 26-yard field goal attempt by Walton in the dying seconds, after the Hornets had taken the lead on a two-point conversion after a touchdown.

The Senior Night loss at Raider Valley means Walton (7-1, 2-1) will likely not be the top seed coming out of Region 4 of Class 7A. Roswell, led by former Pope coach Matt Kemper, has an identical record and a tiebreaking win, if necessary, over Walton.

Walton quarterback Austin Kirksey threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, and found star receiver Dominick Blaylock wide open down the stretch of fourth down to set up the field goal try by Jack Westbrock.

The Raiders finish up the regular season the next two weeks on the road, at Cherokee and Woodstock.

Not far away, the Wheeler Wildcats were trying to bounce back from two consecutive losses and stay in playoff contention against a Campbell team suffering through a long season.

Wheeler dashed out to a 28-0 lead in the first half, then went ahead 41-20 in the third quarter before Campbell came charging back.

The Wildcats held off the upset bid 62-56, improving to 6-2 and 1-2 in Region 2 of Class 7A, as quarterback C.J. Ogbonna threw two touchdown passes. Next week Wheeler faces region leader Westlake.

The Kell Longhorns rolled up some points as well, but the outmatched Cass Colonels couldn’t keep up, as Kell won in a 63-3 rout. Quarterback Evan Conley threw five touchdown passes for the Longhorns, who are 6-2 and 4-2 in Region 7 of Class 5A.

The Pope Greyhounds also dug out a dramatic win to keep their post-season hopes alive, as they went to Cambridge and came away with a 29-26 win. Pope pulled off an 85-yard drive in the final minute, scoring on a 9-yard touchdown pass with 21 seconds to play.

Next week the Hounds, who improved to 4-5 and 4-3 in Region 7 of Class 6A, play Northview, which also is battling for a playoff spot.

The Sprayberry Yellow Jackets threatened to upset playoff-minded Sequoyah, and took an early 13-0 lead. But the Chiefs rebounded for a 35-28 win in Class 6A Region 6 play. Sprayberry, which fell to 2-6 and 2-4, continues a tough stretch next week, visiting region leader Creekview.

A long season for the Lassiter Trojans continued Friday in a 23-6 loss to Woodstock. The Trojans, who are 1-7 and 0-6 in Region 4 of Class 7A, play Etowah next week.

 

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Walton football jumps up to No. 2 in state poll; unbeaten Wheeler unranked

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The Walton football team’s big nationally-televised win over state champion North Gwinnett on Friday catapulted the Raiders to No. 2 in the latest high school football rankings.

The Raiders moved up from third in the Georgia Sports Writers Association Class 7A poll that was released Tuesday, getting 120 points and edging Grayson, which had been second, by two points. Colquitt County remains on top with 139 points. Two other Cobb schools, McEachern and Hillgrove, also are ranked in the Top 10 this week.

Wheeler, which like Walton is also 4-0, is not. In fact, the Wildcats, the only other unbeaten team from East Cobb, didn’t get any votes at all from the GWSA voters.

But they have a chance to make a statement on Friday at home against Roswell, which received 12 votes, just missing the rankings. Marietta got 13 votes.

Walton will also be at home Friday, against Newnan.

The only other ranked East Cobb team dropped out. Kell, which had been No. 10 in Class 5A, lost to East Paulding last week and still got eight votes, just out of the rankings.

 

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Last-minute Walton football comeback stuns North Gwinnett

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Walton football comeback

Dominick Blaylock scored an 11-yard touchdown with 32 seconds left in the game Friday to cap a Walton football comeback in a 27-24 victory over defending state champion North Gwinnett before a national television audience.

Blaylock was already having another marvelous game before he took the snap and raced down the left sideline, bowling over two Bulldog defenders as he pushed his way into the end zone.

Walton football comeback, Dominick Blaylock

It was the last of Blaylock’s three touchdowns, and helped the Raiders, ranked No. 3 in Class 7A, stay unbeaten at 4-0 in their first home game of the season at Raider Valley.

Walton led 7-0 and 14-7 before No. 4 North Gwinnett (2-2) roared back in the second half. The Bulldogs kicked a field goal with 5:42 to go in the game to take a 24-21 lead, setting up a thrilling finish.

The Raiders also played for a time without starting quarterback Austin Kirksey, who went out limping near halftime and returned in the final period.

“These guys just fight and fight and fight for each other,” Walton coach Daniel Brunner said after the game, hugging Blaylock, his baby-faced star who’s bound for the University of Georgia next season.

“I’m so glad I’ve got this dude here, the best player in the state of Georgia,” Brunner said. “He may look sweet, but he sure doesn’t play like it.”

Dominick Blaylock gets Walton on the scoreboard first late in the first quarter. (East Cobb News photos by Wendy Parker)

The game kicked off earlier than normal because it was part of a national TV high school football doubleheader on ESPN2.

Blaylock gave Walton a 7-0 lead with 2:15 left in the first quarter on a two-yard run. On its next drive, North Gwinnett answered, with Tyler Goodson finishing off with a short TD for a 7-7 score.

By the time dusk turned to dark, the dramatics heightened.

Walton regained the lead at 14-7 on an eight-yard TD run by Kirksey. But with 29 seconds to play before halftime, he went out of the game, walking gingerly off the field. He was replaced by freshman Zac Rozsman.

Midway in the third quarter, and on fourth down, the Bulldogs drew even at 14-14 on a 38-yard desperation heave from JR Martin to Garrison Minor.

The Walton defense holds on third down.

North Gwinnett, whose only loss last season was to Walton in the Corky Kell Classic, went ahead for the first time at 21-14 with a touchdown with 1:40 left in the third quarter.

At the same time, Kirksey began limbering up on the sideline, as Walton players and coaches tried to figure out how to come from behind. The answer, of course, was with a whole lot of Blaylock, but the Raiders had to climb out of some holes they created for themselves along the way.

Upon Kirksey’s return, he led a drive that resulted in Blaylock’s second touchdown, which made the score 21-21 with 8:41 left in the fourth quarter.

On their next drive, the Raiders were driving deep when a first-down run by KD Alford (below) was nullified because of a penalty. That could have spelled doom for Walton, as well as Kirksey being sacked on the North Gwinnett 45.

That set up a third-and-27 for Walton, and Kirksey hooked up with Blaylock for a first down to the 12. Blaylock finished off the comeback, and the defending state champions, two plays later.

Walton’s defense held off the last chance for the Bulldogs, forcing three incomplete passes, then sacked the quarterback on the last play of the game.

 

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Walton-North Gwinnett football game to be shown on ESPN2

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Walton-North Gwinnett football game

Back in August we noted that tonight’s Walton-North Gwinnett football game was going to be nationally televised.

That’s still the case, but the outlet has changed, and it’s going to show the game to a bigger audience. Instead of being shown on ESPNU, Raider Valley’s going to be showcased on ESPN2.)

The battle between the No. 3 Raiders (3-0) and No. 4 North Gwinnett (2-1), last year’s Georgia Class 7A state champions, is part of ESPN’s Geico High School Football Showcase.

It’s also the first home game of the season for Walton, and please note that if you’re going, kickoff is at 7 p.m., and not the standard 7:30 p.m.

That’s for television reasons, since the Walton game is the part of a doubleheader.

Last year, Walton defeated North Gwinnett in the Corky Kell Classic in what would be the only defeat of the season for the Bulldogs.

All East Cobb high school football teams are in action after four, including Walton, had bye weeks. Tonight’s other games all start at 7:30 p.m.

Wheeler is also seeking to go 4-0 at Lassiter, which is 1-2. It’s also homecoming for the Trojans. A parade starts at 5:30 p.m. from the Wendy’s on Shallowford Road (near Sandy Plains) and will proceed to the school.

At Pope, it’s the Matt Hobby Game, which we posted here yesterday, and as the Greyhounds are seeking their first win of the season. Sprayberry (1-2), travels to play Harrison (4-0), ranked No. 3 in Class 6A.

Kell, the only other ranked team in East Cobb, is No. 10 in Class 5A and puts its 2-1 record on the line at East Paulding (0-2). Last week the Longhorns fell 35-6 at home to top-ranked Rome, the 2017 Class 5A state champion.

 

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East Cobb football update: Walton, Kell cruise in rivalry games; Sprayberry, Wheeler rally late

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Two East Cobb rivalry games headlined Friday night’s high school football action, and they turned into convincing wins. Walton High School logo, East Cobb football update

Walton routed Pope 35-3 and Kell dispatched Lassiter 29-3.

After sputtering early–including losing a fumble near the Pope goal line—Walton settled down by the end of the first quarter.

That’s when running back KD Stokes scored the first of his two short touchdown runs. Brandon Spencer ran back an interception 50 yards for a touchdown as the Raiders, ranked No. 4 in Class 7A, improved to 3-0 on the season.

A fourth quarter field goal by Hudson Standfest was all the scoring for the Greyhounds (0-2).

At Kell, the homestanding Longhorns gave up the opening points of the game on a Lassiter field goal.

But quarterback Evan Conley threw for two touchdowns and Logan Flesher booted three field goals for Kell (3-0).  Lassiter fell to 1-2.

The game was delayed in the third quarter when Lassiter defensive back Evan Manring was injured and taken off the field on a stretcher. Both teams gathered together at midfield for a prayer.

Sprayberry (1-2) earned its first victory of the year in stirring fashion, driving more than 95 yards late in the game to defeat South Cobb 28-27 on the road. After Isiah Abbey scored a touchdown at the end of a long drive, QB Aaron Bibbins ran in the 2-point conversion.

Wheeler is now 3-0 after pulling out a last-ditch 31-24 win at Shiloh.

Quarterback Chidi Ogbonna threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Kiasa Trabue with 1:15 to play in the fourth quarter.

Next week, Kell stays at home for an important region game against Rome. The Longhorns are ranked No. 10 in Class 5A, but the Wolves are second, and are coming off a 35-0 win over North Clayton.

In the only other game for an East Cobb team on Friday, Pope will play at Centennial. Walton, Lassiter, Wheeler and Sprayberry all will have a bye week.

 

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East Cobb football update: Walton routs, Kell hangs on in Corky Kell Classic

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The high school football season for East Cobb teams concluded with a bang Saturday morning at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta.

The Kell Longhorns led 36-21 in the fourth quarter of the Corky Kell Classic, then almost frittered away that advantage.

East Coweta narrowed the score to 36-28, then got possession on an onside kick and scored a touchdown in the dying seconds to trail 36-34.

However, a two-point play that would have tied the game was broken up by Stefan Green, and Kell ran out the clock to claim a 36-34 win.

A quarterback draw by Evan Conley, Kell’s talented senior quarterback, earlier in the fourth quarter provided the winning margin.

The Longhorns are off next week.

In the second game of the day, the Walton Raiders fell behind Mill Creek early. Then the senior duo of Austin Kirksey and Dominick Blaylock went to work.

Kirksey, the quarterback, threw to Blaylock for three touchdowns and scored two of his own on the run as the Raiders won going away, 48-27.

Kell LogoWalton, ranked in the Top 10 in Class 7-A in several pre-season polls, plays a second consecutive game against a Gwinnett County team when it travels to Collins Hill next week.

On Friday, Wheeler opened its season on the road, and came away with a 28-14 win at Lambert.

Sprayberry was playing at home in its season opener, but fell to South Forsyth 26-6.

Next Friday, Sprayberry visits Wheeler in an all-East Cobb rivalry game.

The other East Cobb team completing Friday night was Lassiter, which was routed at home 48-0 by Harrison.

Next Friday, the Trojans will play host to Pope, which did not play this week.

 

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East Cobb high school football teams kick season off on Friday

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Walton, East Cobb high school football teams
The Walton Raiders will open their season again at the Corky Kell Classic, along with the Kell Longhorns, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (East Cobb News file photo)

Earlier this week we reported from the East Cobb Pigskin Preview breakfast about what the coaches of East Cobb high school football teams had to say about their squads.

Friday scrimmages were the final tuneups as five of the six teams get started with regular season games starting this week.

On Friday, three teams will be in action. The Lassiter Trojans are playing at home against Harrison; Sprayberry plays at South Forsyth; and Wheeler visits Lambert. Kickoff times are all at 7:30 p.m.

On Saturday is the return of the Corky Kell Classic, to be played at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta, and it will be an early morning for the Kell Longhorns and Walton Raiders.

The Longhorns play at 9 a.m. against East Coweta, followed at 11:45 a.m. by Walton against Mill Creek. If you can’t attend, here is viewing information.

The Pope Greyhounds don’t get started until next Friday, Aug. 24, when they play at Lassiter in the first all-East Cobb game of the season.

 

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East Cobb Pigksin Preview: high hopes abound for local prep football teams

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Walton football, East Cobb Pigskin Preview
Walton football coach Daniel Brunner welcomes back many talented players from last year’s 11-1 team including Dominick Blaylock (third from left), a star wide receiver who’s heading to UGA. (East Cobb News photo by Wendy Parker)

At the East Cobb Pigksin Preview breakfast Thursday morning, high school football coaches took time out from pre-school weightlifting, teaching and other activities to share their thoughts on the coming season with community business leaders.

The breakfast was held by the East Cobb Area Council of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce at the Indian Hills Country Club. Coaches brought key players and school administrators also attended.

All six coaches from last season are back, after four of the six East Cobb high schools introduced new coaches last year. Here are brief overviews five of the coaches gave about their teams at the breakfast. Kell High School coaches were not in attendance.

Jep Irwin, Lassiter (6-4 in 2017)

Jep Irwin, East Cobb high school football
Jep Irwin is in his 10th season as Lassiter coach.

The Trojans will be without a seasoned quarterback for the first time in many years. “No one on our roster has any varsity experience,” Irwin said. One of those vying for the starting job “needs to step forward” to fill a leadership role and to provide confidence for the rest of the team.

“We lost a lot of seniors, the skill players on offense, and we will be young in the secondary.”

Lassiter is playing a home scrimmage Friday against Sprayberry at 7 p.m. Season opener is Aug. 17 against Harrison.

Brett Vavra, Sprayberry (2-8 in 2017)

The second-year coach said creating a culture of “old school football” has been the Yellow Jackets’ priority during the off-season, and they’ve addressed those changes in the weight room and with their strength and conditioning program.

“We want to become a more physical football team,” said Vavra, a former Sprayberry player. The team’s motto is “TPW,” or “Tough People Win,” and it’s about instilling mental as well as physical toughness.

Sprayberry was young last season, and graduated nine seniors. Now there are around 30 seniors, and 19 starters are returning.

“I think we have the tools to win some games,” Vavra said. “But we’re not just about wanting to win. We’ve got an awesome group of players who have been working hard. I can’t wait to see how it translates on the field.”

Tab Griffin, Pope (4-7 in 2017)

Zack Owens, Pope football
Pope’s Zack Owens has signed to play college football at Georgia Tech.

The Greyhounds reached the playoffs in their first season under Tab Griffin a former Pope player. Senior wide receiver Zack Owens, is a versatile two-way player, and pre-season practices have emphasized how to efficiently use his talents.

“He’s our go-to guy, he’s going to touch the football,” Griffin said, adding that Owens may see less time as a defensive back because of Pope’s grueling schedule. It calls for 10 consecutive games without a bye week.

Pope has 15 starters returning. “We want to take the mindset that we have a playoff caliber team,” Griffin said. “Our schedule isn’t favorable for that, but as I tell our players, that’s life.”

Daniel Brunner, Walton (11-1 in 2017)

After reaching the state playoffs, the Raiders will step into an even brighter spotlight in 2018. And not just because the Raiders have many of their key players returning, including UGA-bound wide receiver Dominick Blaylock.

On Sept. 14, Walton plays host to defending Class 7-A state champion North Gwinnett at Raider Valley, in a game to be nationally televised on ESPN. The Raiders were the only team to defeat North Gwinnett last season. Brunner said keeping distractions to a minimum will be essential.Walton football vs. Colquitt County

“It’s a good platform for our kids and branding for our program and for our sport in the state,” Brunner, a former Walton assistant, said of the North Gwinnett game. “But it’s all about the process” and keeping to a disciplined regimen for what could be another banner season in Raider Valley.

Brunner said of 2017, his first year at the helm, “we had a successful season because we didn’t have drama.”

One concern he has is that Walton will be young and inexperienced on the offensive line.

Michael Collins, Wheeler (2-8 in 2017)

“We were rebuilding last year with lots of young guys,” Collins said. But the Wildcats were competitive in some of those close games they lost, and he’s looking for better results this year.

“I love coaching this team,” said Collins, who is starting his 10th season at Wheeler. “They’re young, and they have very high character.”

Wheeler opens the season on Aug. 17 at Lambert and plays its first home game the following week in its traditional East Cobb rivalry against Sprayberry.

More East Cobb sports news

 

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East Cobb football players honored at Cobb County Touchdown Club dinner

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Players, coaches and parent volunteers from all high schools in the county were honored at the Cobb County Touchdown Club dinner Sunday night.Cobb County Touchdown Club

The dinner was at the Atlanta Marriott Northwest Hotel. From Walton, Daniel Brunner was named coach of the year, Dominick Blaylock was named offensive player of the year and Austin Kirksey was named quarterback of the year.

Although the Raiders finished 11-1 and reached the second round of the state playoffs, they were not named the Cobb team of the year. That went to McEachern, which reached the Class AAAAAAA semifinals.

Walton’s Chris Hirschfield was named offensive coach of the year and Raiders player Cole Arendsen was named 48 Minute Man of the Year. From Lassiter, Derrik Allen was named defensive back of the year.

On the all-county offensive and defense teams of the year, the following East Cobb players were recognized:

  • Evan Conley, QB, Kell;
  • Josiah Futral, RB, Kell;
  • D.J. Soyoye, RB, Walton;
  • Michael Luckie, WR, Kell;
  • Zack Owens, WR, Pope;
  • Connor Gates, OL, Kell;
  • Justin Talley, DL, Kell;
  • Chance Jones, LB, Wheeler;
  • Aaron Bibbins, DB, Sprayberry;
  • Christian Jackson, DB, Lassiter.

A player from each school was also selected as a scholar-athlete of the year:

  • Connor Gates, Kell;
  • Chase Branch, Lassiter;
  • Ryan Inskip, Pope;
  • Zack Heib, Sprayberry;
  • Kris Kollias, Walton;
  • Jake Pereira, Wheeler.

And parents from all schools were recognized as volunteers of the year:

  • Richard Luckie, Kell;
  • Kate and Adam Beckerman, Lassiter;
  • DJ Van Deusen, Pope;
  • Jackie Blalock, Sprayberry;
  • Stuart Gurr, Walton;
  • Shontai Davidson, Wheeler.

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Honors for Walton football coach, star receiver as all-Cobb teams named

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East Cobb football
Walton coach Daniel Brunner at an East Cobb kickoff breakfast in August.

First-year Walton football coach Daniel Brunner has been named coach of the year for 2017 by the Cobbhsfootball website, and Raiders’ star receiver Dominick Blaylock was tabbed as offensive player of the week.

Blaylock led the 22-man all-Cobb team that was released just before Christmas, and that includes three other players from East Cobb high schools.

They include Walton linebacker Malik Adams, Kell offensive lineman Johnathan Bass, and Lassiter defensive back Derrik Allen.

Brunner, a former assistant at Walton, led the Raiders to an unlikely 11-1 season, after the program came off a losing season under Mo Dixon in 2016.

Walton’s only loss came in the state playoffs to eventual state runner-up Colquitt County, where Dixon is now an assistant. In Brunner’s first game, in the Corky Kell Classic, the Raiders defeated North Gwinnett, which went on to win the Georgia Class 7A state championship.

Brunner, who was named Cobb coach of the year by The Marietta Daily Journal, is a graduate of Roswell High School and also coached there before coming to Walton.

Before the season started, he inaugurated “Raider Day,” a jamboree-style event that included all the Walton football teams, from varsity down to the grade school-level.

With Blaylock, who has committed to play at the University of Georgia, and Adams returning, Walton is expected to contend in the region and state in 2018.

Bass was part of another Kell state playoff team under Brett Sloan, a former Walton assistant in his first year as head coach. Bass has signed to play at Georgia State University.

Allen, considered one of the top high school players in the country at his position, had another strong season for Lassiter, whose state playoff streak ended this season. He has signed to play at Notre Dame.

 

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East Cobb high school football: Walton holds off North Cobb; Pope and Kell eliminated

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It wasn’t easy, but the Walton football team held off a Cobb County rival Friday night in the first round of the Georgia High School Association Class 7A state playoffs. The Raiders, who defeated North Cobb 28-14, were one of three East Cobb high school football teams in action.Walton High School logo, East Cobb high school football

Dominick Blaylock scored two touchdowns, including on a key drive in the fourth quarter, and quarterback Austin Kirksey was 11-for-11 passing for 181 yards, as the Raiders remained unbeaten on the season.

They’re 11-0 and will remain at home next Friday against Colquitt County, which routed Pebblebrook 49-7.

Walton, which is led by first-year head coach Daniel Brunner, a former assistant, will see a familiar face on the Colquitt County sideline. Mo Dixon, who was the Raiders head coach for the last two seasons, left East Cobb over the spring to become an assistant coach at the South Georgia powerhouse.

In the Class 6A playoffs, Pope fell behind early in a 42-14 loss at Dacula, which scored on six of its first seven possessions. The game was the first in the playoffs in five years for the Greyhounds, who finished 4-7 under first-year coach Tab Griffin, a Pope graduate and former player.

Kell reached the Class 5A playoffs but also went out in the first round, falling to Flowery Branch 21-14. The Longhorns mounted a comeback after trailing 21-0, and had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds, but were stopped on fourth-and-goal on the goal line. Kell’s season ends at 5-6 under Brett Sloan, who was in his first season as head coach after being an assistant at Walton.

East Cobb football update: Pope, Kell join Walton in state playoffs; Lassiter waits

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Pope football, East Cobb football

There will be at least three East Cobb football teams in the Georgia High School Association state playoffs next week.

There could be a fourth, Lassiter, which lost to Etowah Friday night and could be selected for an at-large berth in Class AAAAAAA.

Walton clinched the Region 7-AAAAAAA title Friday with a 42-37 win at home over Woodstock, giving the Raiders a perfect 10-0 record in the regular season.

That’s only the third time in Walton school history that has happened. The Raiders will play at home next Friday in the first round of the state playoffs against North Cobb.

East Cobb football
Tab Griffin of Pope, Brett Sloan of Kell and Daniel Brunner of Walton have led their teams into the state playoffs as first-year head coaches. (East Cobb News file photo)

Kell lost to Hiram 52-37 at home but still clinched a playoff berth in the Class AAAAA playoffs. The Longhorns, who finished 5-5 in the regular season, will play at Flowery Branch.

The most unlikely East Cobb football story this season is Pope High School, which had won just three games in the past two seasons. The Greyhounds got off to a sluggish start, losing their first three games.

Pope came into Friday’s game against Northview on a two-game losing streak, but rolled to an easy 41-22 win to qualify for the state playoffs for the first time since 2012. The Greyhounds will take a losing record—4-6—into next Friday’s Class AAAAAA first round game at Dacula.

Lassiter could have cemented a playoff berth in Class AAAAAAA but lost at Etowah 29-20 to finish the regular season with a 6-4 record. The Trojans await word on whether they’ll be selected as an at-large team.

The three East Cobb football teams that have clinched playoff spots also have something else in common. They’re coached by first-year head coaches, which was one of the leading storylines heading into the season.

Walton’s Daniel Brunner had been an assistant for the Raiders and was elevated to head coach after Mo Dixon resigned to take a coaching job in south Georgia. Another Walton assistant, Brett Sloan, was hired to succeed Derek Cook at Kell.

Tab Griffin’s task at Pope was considered the biggest job of all. He was a former Greyhounds player and Pope graduate who was hired in the summer after coaching at Mt. Paran Christian School.

Two other East Cobb teams ended their seasons Friday on a down note. Sprayberry, also coached by a first-year coach, former Yellow Jackets player Brett Vavra, lost to Sequoyah 38-28 and finished 2-8 on the year.

So did the Wheeler Wildcats, a playoff last year who lost 51-37 to Pebblebrook.

 

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Walton football beats Lassiter, clinches playoff spot; Sprayberry ends losing streak

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The Walton football team under first-year coach Daniel Brunner remains undefeated and has now sewn up a state playoff spot.

The Raiders did that on Friday night at Raider Valley in a 42-19 win over East Cobb rival Lassiter in a key Region 4AAAAAAA contest. Walton HS logo, Walton Pope volleyball, Walton football

Although starting Walton quarterback Austin Kirksey didn’t return following a third-quarter injury, running back D.J. Soyoye more than made for his loss with two touchdown scores in the second half as the Raiders (8-0) pulled away from the Trojans (4-3) down the stretch.

Walton, which has regular season games remaining against Etowah and Woodstock, is the first East Cobb high school football team to qualify for the state playoffs.

Lassiter is still in contention for a post-season berth and will close out against Cherokee and Etowah.

Sprayberry was hopeful at the start of the season with a new coach, former Yellow Jackets player Brett Vavra. After winning their opener, however, they lost six in a row. On Friday at home, Sprayberry ended that skid with a 17-14 win over River Ridge. Sprayberry doesn’t have a post-season shot, but has two games left against Creekside and Sequoyah to try to finish with some momentum.

The three other East Cobb teams suffered some heartbreak on Friday, with playoff berths within reach.

The Kell Longhorns took a 28-7 lead at home against Carrollton, with a chance to nail down a home playoff game. But Carrollton surged back and kicked a field goal with time expiring to earn a 45-42 victory. The Longhorns (4-4) are still in the hunt for the post-season, and play Woodland and Hiram over the next two weeks.

Pope fell behind early at Chattahoochee on Friday, then mounted a comeback that fell short in another wild finish, a 46-41 loss. The Greyhounds are 3-5 and have an outside playoff chance, with games remaining against Centennial and Northview.

Wheeler led a good bit of the night on Friday at Campbell, but were defeated 35-23 to fall to 2-6 on the season. The Wildcats also are winless in regional play and will close out their season against Westlake and Pebblebrook.

PHOTOS: East Cobb Pigskin Preview breakfast at Indian Hills Country Club

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East Cobb Pigskin Preview
East Cobb high school football head coaches, from L-R: Tab Griffin (Pope); Brett Sloan (Kell); Daniel Brunner (Walton); Brett Vavra (Sprayberry); Mike Collins (Wheeler); and Jep Irwin (Lassiter). East Cobb News photos by Wendy Parker.

The banquet room at the Indian Hills Country Club was filled Thursday morning with local business leaders, hungry high school football players and their coaches at the annual East Cobb Pigskin Preview breakfast.

The six high school head coaches briefed attendees about the season ahead and answered audience questions at the event sponsored by the East Cobb Council of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce.

East Cobb Pigskin Preview

Four of the six coaches are new to the job. Only Jep Irwin of Lassiter, and Mike Collins of Wheeler, both in their eighth seasons, return to the sidelines at the same school.

Two of the newcomers are returning to their alma maters: Brett Vavra of Sprayberry, and Tab Griffin of Pope. The other first-year coaches are no strangers to the East Cobb prep football scene. Brett Sloan of Kell was an assistant at Walton the last two years. Daniel Brunner, also a Raiders assistant, was named head coach when Mo Dixon resigned to take a job at south Georgia powerhouse Colquitt County.

Pope graduate Tab Griffin returns as head coach of the Greyhounds.

Griffin, who had been an assistant coach at Mount Paran Christian School, said returning to Pope is “kind of a homecoming for me. It’s been my dream ever since Pope opened to come back and be the head football coach.”

Vavra, who was an assistant at Etowah, echoed similar thoughts. “I’m super excited to be back home,” he said, noting “the great sense of pride in the community” that welcomed him back to Sprayberry.

Brett Vavra, Sprayberry football
Sprayberry head coach Brett Vavra.

The energetic Brunner said bringing the entire Walton football community together is an important objective for him, and last weekend the first “Raider Day” event took place (see East Cobb News coverage here).

Kell also went looking for a new coach when Derek Cook resigned in the spring after nine years on the job. The Longhorns tapped Sloan, who had come to Walton with Dixon from South Carolina, and who had helped guide the Raiders into the post-season.

Pope High School football
Pope football players

Sloan, who’s also anxious due to the upcoming birth of his first child, said Kell’s goal is simple: to reach the state finals. The Longhorns were eliminated in the semifinals, so there’s no need, Sloan said, “to replace what they’ve done at Kell, but to build on it.”

Wheeler is hopeful for a playoff berth after going 5-6 and reaching the region playoffs. The Wildcats’ main objective is to be more consistent; in 2016 they weren’t able to put together a winning streak. “It had a lot to do with the teams we were playing the following week,” Collins said.

Lassiter also reached the post-season with a 6-5 finish, and the Trojans boast one of the best high school players in the nation in defensive back Derrik Allen. He has been chosen to play in the Army All-American all-star game in January and will play college football at Notre Dame.

Some East Cobb teams are holding scrimmages this week and next. Walton and Kell will be playing next Saturday at the Corky Kell Classic in downtown Atlanta. The first full slate of games is Friday, Aug. 25.

East Cobb Pigskin Preview